Flexible Foodstuff Container With Closure
A sealable container comprising: a base having a geometric shape; sides extending from the base and defining a mouth opposite the base, wherein cross-sections of the sides parallel to the base have a geometric shape; and a seal of the mouth comprising: a first zipper member and a second zipper member, wherein when the seal is closed to seal the mouth the first and second zipper members engage each other to make the seal and when the seal is open the first and second zipper members disengage to break the seal, wherein the base, sides and seal comprise silicone, wherein the base and at least a portion of the sides adjacent the base are of sufficient thickness and rigidity for the container to freely stand vertically on its base with the mouth at the top, and wherein the seal and at least a portion of the sides defining the mouth are sufficiently flexible to allow the seal and side portion to be deformed between open and closed mouth configurations.
This application claims priority to commonly owned U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/466,156; filed Mar. 2, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present disclosure relates generally to the field of sealable cups, bowls and tumblers made of silicone suitable for foodstuffs.
BACKGROUNDU.S. Pat. No. 6,197,359, incorporated herein by reference, describes the use of silicone for manufacturing of confectionery molds and baking receptacles, wherein silicone may be used for applications in contact with foodstuffs, in particular, methyl-vinyl-polysiloxane obtained by a process of cross-linking with platinum. Silicone is a material of polymeric nature whose chains are made up of alternating oxygen and silicon atoms. Silicones are normally prepared by hydrolysis and subsequent polymerisation of alkylhalogensilanes (both acid- and base-catalysed). The alkylhalogensilanes are in practice made by a direct process, Cu-catalysed, in which the Si reacts with the corresponding alkyl halide. This process provides mixtures of products, whose composition can be modified by a process of redistribution to yield the desired monomer. Known in the art are silicone elastomers, which are made up of linear polymers. A cross-linking phase is required in order to provide the elastic properties. The most common elastomers are those deriving from dichloromethylsilane, with molecular weights ranging between 300,000 and 700,000. They are made by a prepolymerisation that provides octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, purification thereof and subsequent polymerisation in the presence of a small quantity of monofunctional material in order to control the molecular weight, followed by a cross-linking similar to curing, in the presence of peroxides, which lends the material its elastic properties. Other important elastomers are those that contain a small proportion (0.1% molar) of vinyl groups linked to silicon, which undergo much more effective curing, and those that contain between 10 and 15% molar of phenyl groups, and good elastic properties at low temperatures. Elastomers of a much lower molecular weight (10,000 to 100,000) can be obtained by using linear polymer chains ending in silanol groups, which can be cured at room temperature by reaction with an alkoxylane. In general, the most important characteristic of the silicone elastomers is the fact that they present a very broad thermal spectrum of use (from −50° C. to 200° C.) without a significant alteration of their properties. They have good electrical insulation properties, do not self-oxidise or undergo attack by chemical agents in aqueous medium and swell in the presence of non-polar organic solvents, although some special types that contain fluoro- or cyano-groups offer greater resistance to this process. Silicone elastomers find their widest industrial application as electrical insulators, fluid-repellents and oxidation protectors, and in the manufacturing of hermetic gaskets. The silicones are highly inert materials, and they repel water. Silicone is inert to chemical agents, with the exception of strong bases and acids, and its toxicity is generally low. The origin of these properties lies essentially in the high stability of the Si—O bond (106 Kcal/mol), and in its strong partial ionic character. Other known uses of silicones are in the manufacturing of containers for liquids (such as wineskins) and tubes for transporting substances (such as the tubes used for blood transfusions).
U.S. Publication 2014/0270579, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a silicone bag. In particular, the publication teaches a bag having a front and back portion which are comprised of silicone or a similar elastomer. The front and back portion are identical in size and are sealed together along their sides and bottom with an mouth along the top portion. The mouth creates a cavity from which items are placed in and stored or transported for further use. A sealing mechanism (ribs pressed into slots) on top of the bag seals items in the bag. The bag is molded entirely of silicone, including the sealing mechanism, to be water tight.
U.S. Publication 2014/0245698, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a package having a foldable top region. The package generally includes panel portions that at least partially define an interior cavity therebetween and accessible through an access mouth. The top portion can provide a cuff member or cuff region that can be folded and unfolded to facilitate use of the package as a bowl or other cuffed container for material contents. The package can be adapted to hold its shape as a bowl or cuffed container. A reclosure member can be provided to facilitate re-sealing of the package. A folding strip, edge contours and stiffening members can also be provided.
U.S. Publication 2009/0110335, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a reclosable food storage bag able to withstand a wide temperature range manufactured from environmentally sensitive materials is disclosed. The bag can be manufactured from such materials as silicone rubber and thermoset resins. By using such materials, the bag can easily withstand the temperature ranges encountered in residential kitchens extending from the freezer to the oven and all ambient temperatures therebetween. In addition, by manufacturing the bag from such materials, the environmental impact of using petroleum based polymers is avoided.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,371,153, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a container made of an elastomer such as silicone with an integrated leak resistant seal having press-fit elements. The sizes and shapes of the press-fit elements seal the mouth to resist leakage of liquids from inside the container. No external clips or clasps are needed for the seal. Extended flaps facilitate pulling the sides open. The container itself may be of asymmetrical shape, e.g. trapezoidal.
SUMMARYIn accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, sealable cups, bowls and tumblers made of silicone suitable for foodstuffs are provided.
An aspect of the invention provides a sealable container comprising: a base having a geometric shape; sides extending from the base and defining a mouth opposite the base, wherein cross-sections of the sides parallel to the base have a geometric shape; and a seal of the mouth comprising: a first zipper member and a second zipper member, wherein when the seal is closed to seal the mouth the first and second zipper members engage each other to make the seal and when the seal is open the first and second zipper members disengage to break the seal, wherein the base, sides and seal comprise silicone, wherein the base and at least a portion of the sides adjacent the base are of sufficient thickness and rigidity for the container to freely stand vertically on its base with the mouth at the top, and wherein the seal and at least a portion of the sides defining the mouth are sufficiently flexible to allow the seal and side portion to be deformed between open and closed mouth configurations.
A further aspect of the invention provides a sealable container comprising: a base having a geometric shape; sides connected to the base and defining an mouth opposite the base, wherein cross-sections of the sides have a geometric shape; and a seal of the mouth, wherein the base and at least a portion of the sides adjacent the base are sufficiently rigid to resist deformation in response to applied forces, wherein the mouth and at least a portion of the sides adjacent the mouth are sufficiently flexible to allow the mouth to be deformed between open and closed configurations, and wherein the base, sides and seal are integrally formed of silicone.
A more complete understanding of the present embodiments may be acquired by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like features.
Preferred embodiments are best understood by reference to
Embodiments of the present invention provide a cup or a bowl that stands on its own and zips at the top like a re-sealable zipper storage bag. The cup or bowl may be made with silicone in one piece, be flexible, be food grade, and be dishwasher/microwave safe. The cup or bowl may be used as a dish/cup. The cup or bowl may be used as a storage container. In particular, the cup or bowl may be great for travel.
The material may be thicker at the base for stability. The top may be thinner and more flexible. The zipper may be a tongue and groove configuration wherein a male portion is mated with a female portion to make the seal. The zipper may be a dual zipper or triple zipper. A clasp may be assembled to the exterior of the zipper for sliding along the zipper to assist with the mouth and/or closing of the zipper.
In one embodiment, the zipper portion and the container portion may be molded as one unitary whole of the same material throughout. Alternatively, the zipper portion may be made from a harder durometer or different material inserted into the mold, so that it may be a dual-durometer or co-molded product.
In another embodiment, the zipper members may be separate pieces joined to a zipper slot of the container piece by glue, adhesive, tape, weld, bond, etc. Silicone adhesives are commercially available from LocTite, 3M and GE. Alternatively, because silicone bonds well to silicone, silicone may be used to join the zipper members to the container. According to one process, the zipper members and container may be made to adhere by placing them in contact when the silicone material is not fully crosslinked (cured) after being separately molded. In this case, it is preferable not to postbake the parts prior to performing the silicone adhesion step. Alternatively, the zipper members may first be separately molded and then placed inside the container mold so that when the container is molded, the zipper members become “overmolded” or “encapsulated” by the liquid silicone being injected in the mold to form the container, and thereby become joined to the container.
According to certain embodiments of the invention, one feature is to have a free standing container with a zipper seal of the mouth at the top, wherein the mouth remains open when unsealed. A benefit to users is that the mouth of the contain remains open in a free standing position, so users may pour or spoon contents into or out of the container without having to hold open the mouth of the container. To enable this feature, the container may be silicone molded in in an open position, so that the finished container naturally wants to assume an open position. The zipper members may be silicone molded in straight molds so that by themselves they naturally tend to assume straight positions. When the zipper members are then joined in the zipper slots of the container, the combination tends to cause the mouth of the container to naturally assume an open eye-shape when free-standing.
The figures show perspective, side and end views of separate cups, bowls or containers. Each cup, bowl or container is made of a flexible material that is sufficiently rigid in the base regions to stand on their own, but sufficiently flexible in the closure region to allow the mouths to transition between open and closed configurations.
In alternative embodiments, the base 11 of the short container 10 may be any geometric shape, for example, square, rectangle, triangle, octagon, hexagon, oval, etc. Further, the mouth 12 may also be of any geometric shape. Still further, cross-sections of the short container 10 between the base 11 and the mouth 12 may be of any geometric shape. In some embodiments of the invention, the base 11, mouth 12, and cross-sections between the base 11 and mouth 12 all have the same geometric shape. In still other embodiments of the invention, the base 11, mouth 12, and cross-sections between the base 11 and mouth 12 have different geometric shapes.
In alternative embodiments, the base 21 of the tumbler 20 may be any geometric shape, for example, square, rectangle, triangle, octagon, hexagon, oval, etc. Further, the mouth 22 may also be of any geometric shape. Still further, cross-sections of the tumbler 20 between the base 21 and the mouth 22 may be of any geometric shape. In some embodiments of the invention, the base 21, mouth 22, and cross-sections between the base 21 and mouth 22 all have the same geometric shape. In still other embodiments of the invention, the base 21, mouth 22, and cross-sections between the base 21 and mouth 22 have different geometric shapes.
Some embodiments of the invention, made of silicone, have base and sidewall thicknesses greater than 0.5 mm. Other embodiments of the invention, made of silicone, have base and sidewall thicknesses between about 0.7 mm and about 1.3 mm. Still further embodiments of the invention, made of silicone, have base and sidewall thicknesses of about 1.0 mm.
The tumblers, cups or bowls may be made of silicone material that is either transparent or opaque and made to be any color. The silicone may be of a quality and composition appropriate for applications in contact with foodstuffs. In particular, methyl-vinyl-polsiloxane obtained by a process of cross-linking with platinum may be an appropriate silicone. Numeric markers may be added to indicate volumetric measurements within the cups, bowls or tumblers.
With reference to
Because the zipper members are made of a resilient material, i.e., platinum silicone, the hooks and supports may squeeze and bend into position for sealing engagement when the mouth 62 of the tumbler 60 is closed. The resilient material further provides sufficient rigidity to maintain the seal when the mouth 62 of the tumbler 60 is closed. Still further, the resilient material is sufficiently flexible to allow the zipper members to be pulled apart to break the seal and open the mouth 62. The closure and opening force may be such that closure and opening may be performed by hand.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the zipper members have certain dimensions. The width of the zipper slot 63 and the bases 65 and 75 of the zipper members 64 and 74 may be about 9.0 mm. The heights of the hooks 66 and 76, from the bottom of the bases 65 and 75 to the most distal ends of the hook retainers 68 and 78, may be about 4.0 mm, so that the combined thickness of a zipper slot, base and hook is less than 5.0 mm. The width of the hook retainers 68 and 78 may be about 1.7 mm.
Although the disclosed embodiments are described in detail in the present disclosure, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made to the embodiments without departing from their spirit and scope.
Claims
1. A sealable container comprising:
- a base having a geometric shape;
- sides extending from the base and defining a mouth opposite the base, wherein cross-sections of the sides parallel to the base have a geometric shape; and
- a seal of the mouth comprising: a first zipper member and a second zipper member,
- wherein when the seal is closed to seal the mouth the first and second zipper members engage each other to make the seal and when the seal is open the first and second zipper members disengage to break the seal,
- wherein the base, sides and seal comprise silicone,
- wherein the base and at least a portion of the sides adjacent the base are of sufficient thickness and rigidity for the container to freely stand vertically on its base with the mouth at the top, and
- wherein the seal and at least a portion of the sides defining the mouth are sufficiently flexible to allow the seal and side portion to be deformed between open and closed mouth configurations.
2. A sealable container, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the silicone comprises platinum silicon.
3. A sealable container, as claimed in claim 1, wherein a portion of the sides defining the mouth comprise a zipper slot, and the seal comprise first and second zipper members joined in the zipper slot.
4. A sealable container, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seal is joined to the sides defining the mouth by a joint selected from adhesive, glue, tape, weld and bond.
5. A sealable container, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seal and sides defining the mouth are separately molded and wherein the seal is joined to the sides defining the mouth by silicone.
6.
7. A sealable container, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seal is joined to the sides defining the mouth by separately molding the seal and the sides defining the mouth and placing the seal and sides in contact when the silicone is not fully crosslinked.
8. A sealable container, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seal is joined to the sides defining the mouth by overmolding the seal with liquid silicone being molded to form the sides.
9. A sealable container, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first zipper member comprises two hook retainers projecting in opposite directions outwardly from a center, wherein the second zipper member comprises two hook retainers projecting in opposite directions inwardly toward a center, wherein the hook retainers of the first and second zipper members engage when the seal is closed and disengage when the seal is open.
10. A sealable container, as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of the first and second zipper members comprises at least one support cantilever that supports a hook retainer of the other zipper member.
11. A sealable container, as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first zipper member further comprises a first support cantilever positioned outside of the two hook retainers relative to the first zipper center and a second support cantilever positioned outside of the two hook retainers relative to the first zipper center and opposite the first support cantilever, wherein the second zipper member further comprises a support cantilever positioned between the two hook retainers at the second zipper center.
12. A sealable container, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base has a circular geometric shape and wherein at least one cross-section parallel to the base of the sides has a substantially circular geometric shape and at least one cross-section parallel to the base of the sides has a substantially elliptical geometric shape.
13. A sealable container, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base has a geometric shape comprising two straight sides and two semicircular sides, wherein at least one cross-section parallel to the base of the sides comprises two substantially straight sides and two substantially semi-circular sides.
14. A sealable container, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base and sides have thicknesses greater than 0.5 mm.
15. A sealable container, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base and sides have thicknesses between 0.7 mm and 1.3 mm.
16. A sealable container, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thickness of each of the first and second zipper members of the seal is less than 5.0 mm.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 2, 2018
Publication Date: Sep 6, 2018
Patent Grant number: 11358755
Inventor: Rebecca Finell (Austin, TX)
Application Number: 15/910,757